Baseball is back across the pond. For the first time since 2019, two MLB teams will make the trip to London to play in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. The series was initially set to be played in 2020 but was changed due to the pandemic. Last time in 2019, it was a series between the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox and now it will be the St. Louis Cardinals and the Chicago Cubs. The trend with this series seems to be deep-rooted rivalries, but with only the second time these teams will square off this season, it will surely be an interesting adventure. 

In the last London series, the Yankees swept the Red Sox 17-13 and 12-8, with 10 home runs between the two games. To accommodate for that, the distance from the alleys will increase by 5 feet from 382 to 387 feet, and from center, it will increase by 7 feet from 385 to 392 feet. So home runs will not be nearly as common as they were. 

The Cardinals will be the home team in this series, given that the Cardinals won 2 out of 3 in the teams’ meeting in May, but as the Yankees did, the Cubs will wear their home pinstripes to show the London audience their iconic uniforms. 

The Cubs and Cardinals each are in a very different position timing-wise entering this series. The 7-hour time difference will pose a challenge, especially for the Cardinals whose last game on Wednesday, June 21, started at 4:05 ET, so they got in around midday Thursday, June 22. The Cubs had their game begin at 12:30 ET, so they were given a bit more of an adjustment period as they came in Thursday, June 22, in the morning. Both teams will have two off days going into the series and one following it, but the jet lag and changing time zones could certainly have an impact going in. 

The two teams are also coming off different stretches. The Cubs have won 8 out of their last 10 games and are coming off a sweep of the Pittsburgh Pirates, climbing into third place in the division. The Cardinals have won 4 out of their last 10 games and are coming off a loss against the Washington Nationals, but they did end up winning the series. They remain in last place. 

For the first game on June 24, the starters will be Justin Steele and Adam Wainwright. Steele came off the injured list with forearm tightness last week; his last start on June 17, he pitched 5 innings with only 2 earned runs against the Baltimore Orioles. His ERA is 2.71, the third highest in the National League. Adam Wainwright is coming off 6 ⅓ innings pitched on June 17 against the New York Mets, giving up 3 runs; his ERA is 5.56, but his career ERA against the Cubs is 3.87.  Both starters will be given a bit of an extended rest period of one week, instead of the usual 5, something that could influence how they pitch. 

For the second game on June 25, the starters will be Marcus Stroman and Jack Flaherty. Stroman has been elite all season, in his last start against the Pirates on June 20, he went 7 innings and gave up no earned runs. He is tied for the league in wins at 9, ERA at 2.28, and leads all of baseball in 14 quality starts of his total 16. Flaherty in his last start on June 19 against the Nationals went 6 ⅓ innings, giving up 6 runs. His ERA is 4.95. Stroman will be on regular rest and Flaherty will have one extra day of rest. 

The Cubs are coming to this series with a bit of an advantage, as they have much stronger starting pitching and are coming off a sweep and a big win streak. The hitting finally seemed to come together and even the bullpen had begun to settle into their more developed roles. If they are able to win the series with a sweep, they have the opportunity to be back at .500. The Cardinals have also been playing a bit better because prior to that loss, they were on a four game win streak. The Cubs are certainly coming in hotter, but given the changing time zones and jet lag, it really could be anyone’s game.